Cessna 421C accident near Window Rock, Arizona, January 3, 2004
On January 3, 2004 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N911EA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Window Rock, Arizona (Window Rock Aiport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed in the landing flare to compensate for airframe icing, which resulted in a premature stall and hard landing. The degraded aircraft performance due to airframe ice was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2004 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Window Rock, Arizona · Window Rock Aiport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N911EA · registry record · serial 421C-0870
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed hard on the left main gear. The pilot was attempting to execute the VOR/DME-A circling approach in instrument meteorological conditions, to include icing and gusty wind conditions. The pilot believes that during the approach, the airframe accumulated airframe ice. Prior to touchdown, in the landing flare, the airplane stalled prematurely, impacting the runway hard.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scenic Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 9:43 pm
- Destination: RQE Window Rock AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 7,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 10:10 pm from RQE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.